The Magic Veggie Trick
by kaoscraze
Summary: Carol can't get Judith to eat her vegetables, but Daryl knows something she doesn't. Will he tell her his secret or keep her waiting in suspense? **My submission for the USS Caryl "Emotions" Fanfic Challenge**


**A/N: This is my submission for the USS Caryl Challenge on "Emotions". I'd say the biggest emotion in this story would probably be frustration mixed with humor. It's definitely a lighter story and I wrote it in a matter of two hours after getting the idea from watching Judith play with cups on the floor while Beth wrapped up Michonne's ankle. We haven't seen any interactions with Daryl and Judith this season so far which annoys me because I just love the idea of him playing with the kids. (Of course, as always, there's some Caryl teasing thrown into the mix too:) Enjoy! **

**(I still own nothing)**

_The Magic Veggie Trick_

"Come on sweetie…that's a girl…"

Carol moved the spoon closer to Judith's mouth, trying to get the food in her mouth rather than smeared across her face. It wasn't her first attempt to get the toddler to eat her vegetables, but it was proving more and more difficult to get her to cooperate every time they tried. Now that they had a garden, there were plenty of different varieties to try, but no matter what she picked, the child reacted defiantly. In one week's time, she'd tried peas, carrots, squash and lima beans, but all had been unceremoniously dumped on the floor or thrown back in her face.

"Come on Jude…it's num-nums…"

"No!"

"You like mashed cauliflower…it tastes like taters remember?"

"No!" Judith smashed her fat little hand down into the bowl, smashing the cauliflower even more and forcing it out onto the table.

Carol sighed, straightening up again as the child painted her high chair with the food. "I don't get it. You'll eat any fruit I give you, but you won't touch your vegetables. Babies aren't supposed to be this picky."

"That's cause you ain't doin' it right."

She didn't even need to turn around to know who was coming. From the moment he spoke, Judith's face lit up and she reached out her pudgy, cauliflower covered fingers towards him, squealing with delight.

"Then tell me, oh master of all things edible…" She said, a smirk crossing his face as he brushed past her intentionally. "Exactly how _do_ you get her to eat her vegetables?"

"Well for one thing, you never say the 'V' word." Daryl plucked the spoon out of her hand quickly, straddling the chair sitting next to her. "Asskicker ain't dumb. She knows if it don't sound good it ain't gonna taste good."

"It's just a word Daryl." Carol said, stepping out of the line of fire just in case he was proven wrong and she did send her food spiraling back out again. "Jude doesn't even know what it means. How can she know what it's going to taste like until she tries it?"

"Just trust me on this." He looked up at her, his blue eyes partially obscured by the mop of dark hair framing his face. "Watch the master work."

"Oh I'm watching all right…"

"Okay kid." He took the bowl off the counter and scooped the food into the spoon. "Let's show her how this works. 'Member what I taught ya?"

Judith nodded, and to Carol's utter amazement, allowed Daryl to bring the spoon to her mouth and accepted the food in on the first try. She smacked her adorable lips a couple of times, trying to figure out if she liked the texture or not, then swallowed happily and reached for more. Daryl started chuckling, seeing Carol's mouth hanging open in shock.

"How…you….she…."

"Told ya…" He scooped up another spoonful and plopped it into the child's mouth. "You just gotta know the trick."

Carol put her hands on her hips defiantly. "So tell me the trick already!"

Daryl stared up at her for a moment before getting off the chair and walking over to hand her the bowl and spoon. He leaned over her, his lips brushing against her ear. "Maybe later. S'too much fun watchin' ya squirm."

Before she could react, Daryl rushed past her and back out the door, knowing that if she caught him she'd smack the daylights out of him for teasing her like this. Even Judith giggled and clapped her hands in excitement, adding a whole new level of frustration for Carol. How could a one-year-old know the secret but she couldn't?

Turning the chair back around the right way, she sat down and spooned some more of the cauliflower out of the bowl, hoping that maybe Judith would remember that she actually did like the taste of it and would let her get it in her mouth. While Judith was momentarily distracted by a beam of light that was coming through one of the only windows in the pantry, she took her shot and scooped the mashed vegetable into the child's mouth, waiting for approval. Her forehead wrinkled and she smacked her lips loudly, once again taking in the texture of the food on her tongue. A full thirty seconds went by and the food still remained in her mouth. It was a miracle.

"Oh Jude, I'm so pro-"

"Pffffffttt!" She hadn't gotten the words out when the child grinned and stuck her tongue out, spraying bits of cauliflower all over the high chair and Carol. She then proceeded to squeal with joy and kick her legs, making the whole high chair bounce up and down wildly. Carol looked down at her now ruined shirt, realizing that most of it had landed directly on her chest and down the inside of her top. She sighed, getting up and grabbing a towel off the rack so she could clean herself up, then proceeding to wipe the rest of the food off of Judith's face and hands. It was Daryl-one…Carol-zip.

"That man _really_ doesn't play fair."

**A/N: There ya have it! Hope it made you giggle;-)**


End file.
